Type-writing machine.



No. 665,774. Patented .Iah. 8, I90l. C. ELLIOTT.

TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

(Apgilication filed June a0, 1900.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet I.

WITNESSES INVENTOR ATTO EY No. 665,774. Patented Ian. a, mm.

C. ELLIOTT.

'TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

(Application filed June 80, 1900.)

(No Model.) 3 Shoots-Sheet 2.

mummy WITNESSES: a; INEEQTOR m: uonms PETERS co. Movouma, WASNINGTON. n.c.

No. 665,774. Patented Jan. 8, l90l.

C ELLIOTT TYPE WRITING MACHINE. (Application filed June 30, 1900.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(N0 Mbdel.)

INITED STATES PATENT Fries.

CRAWFORD ELLIOTT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE ELLIOTT & HATCHBOOK TYPEWRITER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK.

TYPE-WRITING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 665,774, dated January8, 1901.

Serial No. 22,189. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CRAWFORD ELLIOTT, of New York, county of New York,and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement inType-W'riting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to that class of type-writing machines inwhich a downwardly-acting writing mechanism is used in connection with afiat plate or platen to sustain the leaf of a book having its bodysupported below and independently of the platen.

While not restricted thereto, I have shown my improvement as embodied ina machine having the same general organizationas that shown in the Hatchand Hillard patent, No. 620,125, dated February 28, 1899.

The invention consists, essentially, in the combination, with theplaten, which stands normally at rest, of a normally stationarybook-support arranged to be shifted at will right and left beneath theplaten and comprising two vertically yielding leaves or boards adaptedto underlie and support the two sides of the book, so that one side orthe other of the book may be brought in position to permit a leaf to beturned over and supported upon the platen while being printed upon bythe movable writing-machine, and this regardless of the thickness of thebook and of the variation in thickness between the two sides.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view showing mybook-supporting mechanism and a book thereon in connection with theplaten and the base-frame which supports the type-writer, the framebeing turned to an upright position and the book being shown in place onthe support. Fig. 2 is a vertical section lengthwise of the book on theline 2 2 of the preceding figure, the base-frame with thewriting-machine thereon and the platen being both shown in elevatedposition. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section on thecorrespondingly-numbered line of Figs. 1 and 2 with the various parts intheir operative positions. Fig. 4 is a similar section through thebook-support alone, illustrating the change in the relation of its twosides to compensate for the variation in the relative thickness of thetwo sides of the book. Fig. 5 is an elevation of a modification.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a table or bed to sustain thetype-writin g mechanism and the book-support. This table may beconstructed with its surface of flat form or other suitable form, but ispreferably constructed, as shown, with a longitudinal depression orchannel a to receive and guide the book-support B. This support consistsof two vertically-adjustable boards or leaves I) and b, adjustablymounted upon a baseframe b preferably provided with supporting-rollers 5The leaves I) and b are intended to receive and support the two sides ofthe book in which the printing is to be effected, and the support as awhole is mounted in the top of the table, so that it may be shiftedeasily to the right or left in order to bring one side of the book orthe other within the field of action of the writing mechanism. This booksupport or carriage remains at rest during the writing operation. Thetwo leaves b and b are preferably spring-supported, and the connectionsbetween them and their base-frame are preferably such that the twoleaves may rise and fall independently, they being maintained at alltimes in a horizontal or approximately horizontal position. Thepreferred arrangement of the spring-supports, as shown in the drawings,consists for each leaf of the parallel rockshafts b mounted on the underside of the leaves, their middle portions being bent downward andconnected by a spiral spring 19 while their outer ends are cramped orbent downward and connected by swinging links I) to the base-frame 19The spring pulling on the rock-shafts tends to throw their lower endsdownward, and thus to elevate the leaf.

In order to prevent the tipping or canting of the leaf, I mount undereach end, at right angles to the shafts above named, two rockshafts 19each having its ends turned downward and connected with the middle crankportion of a horizontal rock-shaft b the ends of which are seated in thebase-frame. These crank-shafts, in connection with those firstnamed,constitute a parallel-motion device, permitting the leaf as awhole to rise and fall, but keeping it constantly in its horizontalposition. Itis to be understood that any equivalent arrangement of partswhich will permit the leaves to rise and fall may be substituted.

The springs are made of such strength and so adjusted that the leaves I)will carry the weight of any book which may be laid upon them. The factthat the two leaves may rise and fall independently admits of the leaveson opposite sides being brought to the same horizontal plane, or, inother words, to the same level, regardless of the point at which it maybe openedthat is to say, regardless of the fact that there may be agreater thickness of leaves on one side than on the other. This levelingof the open book is a matter of decided advantage and convenience in theoperation of the type-writer.

D represents a flat rigid platen of metal hinged at one end on ahorizontal rod d, fixed in standards or other supports (1, attached tothe table, so that the platen may be turned upward to facilitate theadjustment of the book thereunder and then turned downward on theunderlying side of the book, so that the leaf to be printed upon may belaid over and supported upon the upper surface of the platen.

In order to limit the downward motion of the platen and to sustain itnormally in a horizontal position or position parallel with theunderlying leaf-support, a standard d is fixed on the table as shown.The platen may be fixed in position; but when hinged it permits the bookand the leaf to be more conveniently adjusted in relation thereto.

In order to relieve the operator of the labor of lifting the platen,which may be of large terbalancing-spring, preferably made in the formshown at E, Figs. 1 and 2, in which it will be seen that the spring hastwo arms coiled around the hinged rod d, with a middle portion extendedunder the platen and the two ends extended downward to engage the tableor other fixed support. The middle portion of this spring exerts aconstant upward pressure on the platen, and when made of sufficientstrength it will serve to lift the platen and maintain it in an elevatedposition, as shown in Fig. 2, thus leaving the hands of the operatorfree for the manipulation of the adjustment.

F represents an open rectangular baseframe to support the secondaryframe G,

frame G is arranged to slide lengthwise of the base-frame for thepurpose of line-spacin g and the type-writer proper arranged to traveltransversely of the secondary frame for letter and word spacing, feedmechanisms being provided to effect these two movements.

The

down the upper frame.

construction of the-writing mechanism, its secondary frame, base-frame,and the platen may all be the same as in the patent above referred to,except that in the present structure the base-frame is fixed againstlateral motion and is mounted on a pivot which does not require to bevertically adjustable.

In the operation of the machine herein described the base-frame bearingthe Writing mechanism and the platen are both turned up out of the way.A book, opened at any desired point, is then laid upon the leaves of thetraveling support and the frame shifted to the right or left, asrequired, in order to permit the leaf to be printed upon to be broughtin proper position. The platen is then turned down on the body of thebook and the leaf to be written upon turned over upon the platen and thebase-frame turned down to bring the writing mechanism in properposition. Although the spring E is of sufficient weight to lift theplaten, the weight of the overlying base-frame will keep it down inoperative position. When the writing on one page is completed, thebase-frame F is lifted and the book-supporting frame moved to theopposite side of the table, thus bringing the other side of the bookbeneath the platen, after which the other side of the leaf or the nextleaf, as the case may be, is placed in position and the base-f ra meagain closed up.

When the vertically-adjustable and later- ;ally-movable book-support isused, a vertical adjustment of the platen and base-frame in jrelation tothe table or other support is unnecessary-that is to say, the support (1at the rear and d at the front may be of fixed height. size and quiteheavy, I propose to use a coun- It is to be observed that by the employ-1 ment of the hinged rigid platen and the hinged overlying framecarrying the writing mechanism, in combination with the underlyingcarriage and its vertically-adjustable leaves,

it is rendered possible for the operator to adlift the book after it isplaced on the machine. j As all parts above the book can be turned upout of the way and are self-supporting, both hands may be used in theadjustment of the book. When the hinged platen is turned down, it hasthe effect of depressing the underlying side of the book to the requiredlevel. After the platen is thus adjusted the leaf to be printed upon maybe turned over upon it, adjusted in position, and secured by turning Itis to be observed that during all these operations the two hands of theoperator are free for the purpose of adjusting the book and that Withoutdisturbing the book access may be had instantly to any part of the pagefor correction or other purposes. It is to be observed that thearrangement shown does not necessitate any vertical adjustment of thebase-frame or other parts supporting the writing mechanism and platenand that it does notrequire any provision for the lateral adjustment ofthese parts. For these reasons I am enabled to construct the machinecheaply and to give the parts extreme rigidity.

Having described my invention, what I claim is-- 1. In a machine forwriting in books, the combination of the following elements: a base orsupport, a laterally-shiftable carriage mounted thereon and providedwith rising and falling leaves to sustain the respective sides of thebook; a flat rigid platen, to sustain a leaf of the book, hinged that itmay turn up to expose the book and carriage; an openJbase-frame, hingedto rise independently of the platen and adapted to confine the leaf uponthe latter; and a downwardly-acting writing-machine, sustained by andmovable laterally and longitudinally over the baseframe, substantiallyas described.

2. In a book type-writer, the table, having a longitudinal depression inits top, in combination with the laterally-shiftable carriage, mountedand guided in such depression and provided with vertically-movablebook-supporting leaves, a rigid platen supported at one end from thetable by a hinged connection and at the opposite end by a rigid support,an open base-frame, hinged to swing upward and downward in relation tothe platen, and a downwardly-acting writing mechanism supported on thebase-frame and movable laterally and longitudinally thereover.

In a book type-writer, the combination of a table, a flat rigid platenmounted at a distance above the table and sustained therefrom at one endby a hinged connection and at the other end by a rigid support, saidplaten fixed against lateral movement, a baseframe lying above theplaten and hinged to swing upward independently thereof, and adownwardly acting writing mechanism mounted on the base-frame andmovable longitudinally and laterally thereover, whereby rigidly in ahorizontal position when in action and permitted to turn upwardindependently to allow the adjustment of the book and the leaf to beprinted upon, also'to permit access to the surface of the leaf withoutdisturbing its adjustment.

4. In a type-writing machine, in combination with a suitable support forthe book, a fiat rigid platen, hinged to swing upward and adapted tosustain the leaf to be printed upon, a spring connection tending toraise said platen when released, and an open-hinged frame carrying thewriting mechanism and arranged to turn down above the platen, wherebythe sheet is confined in position and the weight of the overlying frameand ma chine applied to keep the platen down in operative position.

5. In a book type-writer, a support for the book, in combination with anoverlying fiat hinged platen to bear upon the body of the book andsustain the top leaf, and a liftingspring acting thereon.

6. In a book type-writer and in combination with a downwardly-actingwriting mechanism, a fiat platen and means for supporting the samerigidly in position to sustain the leaf to be printed on, and anunderlying spring-supported leaf to sustain one side of the book beneathand against the platen.

7. In a book type-writer, the combination of a spring-supported leaf tosustain one side.

of the book, a rigid platen mounted to turn down upon and depress thebook and also to sustain the leaf to be printed upon, and an overlyingdownwardly-acting writing mechanism, mounted to swing independently outof the way, whereby the adjustment of the book, the platen and the leafispermitted while the writing-machine is out of the way. In testimonywhereof I hereunto set my hand, this 27th day of June, 1900, in thepresence of two attesting witnesses.

. CRAWFORD ELLIOTT. Witnesses:

JOHN F. GEORGE, M. A. DRIFFILL.

